Things to consider when planning lighting within the home.

Something that often gets overlooked which can have a profound effect on the look and feel of a home is lighting. Light is an important element within any room, installing appropriate lighting is essential to living comfortably in your home.

Strategically placed lighting and a combination of light sources at several different levels ie floor, wall, lamps, down lights, feature etc can drastically alter the way you feel and interact within your home.

Regardless of the type of fixtures you use it is essential to plan how you will be using your space. Consider existing layout, the positioning is key, where lights are placed whether directional or diffuse how they’re arranged and spaced all needs to be considered.

Differing sources of light perform very differently, perhaps even more important than the correct light fixture is the kind of light bulbs used.

A carefully planned and efficient lighting system can save a small fortune in the long run and is more or less a necessity with the new lighting restrictions in place. The placing of sockets and wall switches is an important consideration and needs to be thought through properly at an early stage.

When it comes to lighting and deciding what to put in the space you want to consider a few things; perhaps the most important thing to consider is the purpose of the room the activities in specific areas will determine the type of lighting required. The size of room dictates how many fittings are required to light the room sufficiently.

Factor in different zones i.e. dining, working, relaxing, positioning of key furnishings, different flooring rugs etc and locate areas where you want to have table lamps and feature lighting. Lighting is pivotal to the way objects and aspects of an area are emphasised and portrayed

Once you have decided how much and the type of lighting required choose your light fixtures early so you can coordinate the styles and finishes with your décor. There are many new exciting metallic finishes available these days that make coordinating the styles in your home easy. It is recommended you should have a variety of light sources at several different levels i.e. floor, ceiling, wall and lamps etc.

There are three main types of lighting Ambient, Task and Accent.

Ambient Lighting
Describes the main source of illumination for a room or space typically overhead fixtures that light the entire room ,or the first switch you turn on in a room. Ambient lighting includes natural light, windows, and sky lights, centrally located ceiling elements such as recessed fixtures chandeliers etc. The bathroom is one of the most important places for good lighting, be sure your light is as true as possible.

Task Lighting
Provides a direct source of light for a specific activity like reading, a desk or study area or above a table in a dining room where the table should be the brightest spot to draw people in.

Accent Lighting
Is used to illuminate an accent feature or displayed object or a piece of art, it sets the mood of a room and creates ambience.